1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to screen displays with mouse interfaces and, in particular, to means for processing mouse control operations for controlling screen display features. The invention has particular application to screen displays in digital engine analyzers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Digital storage oscilloscopes are well-known and typically have two modes of operation, viz., live and freeze. In the live mode, one or more selected input signals are repeatedly sampled by a data acquisition system and the resulting digitized waveform data is displayed on the screen of the oscilloscope and saved in memory. When the freeze mode is activated, data acquisition is suspended and the most recently-displayed section of waveform data remains xe2x80x9cfrozenxe2x80x9d on the screen. At this point the operator can review previously acquired waveform data that has been saved in memory by recalling it from memory and displaying it on the screen.
It is also known to provide engine analyzers with display screens which essentially constitute digital oscilloscopes. Such analyzers acquire for storage and display waveforms generated by associated multi-cylinder internal combustion engines.
The horizontal scale (also called sweep) of an oscilloscope""s screen represents time. Broadly speaking, in a digital engine analyzer scope there are two types of sweeps: engine sweeps and fixed-time sweeps. Engine sweeps display waveform for either a single cylinder ignition or for a complete engine cycle (the time between consecutive firings of the same cylinder), and are typically used to display waveforms related to cylinder ignition events. Fixed-time sweeps (e.g., 10 ms, 100 ms, etc.) display a fixed period of time across the width of the display screen, and are typically used to display waveforms other than primary and secondary ignition waveforms.
It is known in prior digital engine analyzers to operate the analyzer in either ignition scope mode or a standard lab scope mode. The ignition scope mode is normally used for analyzing primary and secondary ignition waveforms. The lab scope mode is typically used for analyzing waveforms other than primary and secondary ignition waveforms, the display of which other waveforms utilizes a fixed-time sweep.
Prior engine analyzers are typically provided with a user interface, which may include a keyboard, light pen, mouse or the like. In connection with such user interfaces, the analyzer may be provided with an operating program which may display one or more icons on the screen, each of which graphically represents an associated switch which can be manipulated with the keyboard or the mouse. One type of icon is in the nature of a rectangular box or window, and the switch associated with that box is assigned a list of a finite set of options, each of which may have a corresponding indicium displayable within the box. The switch can assume only one of these options at any given time.
In prior systems, such an icon switch is commonly manipulated with a mouse by simply clicking the mouse on the icon, i.e., placing the mouse cursor on the icon and momentarily depressing one of the mouse control buttons. Each xe2x80x9cclickxe2x80x9d of the button will step the switch forward one option and change the display in the icon box or window to the next indicium on the list of indicia. This technique is effective, but it is slow. The user can index through the list of options in only one direction and, therefore, if there is a large number of options in the list, a large number of mouse clicks may be required to get to the option of interest.
In another prior art technique for manipulating an icon switch with a mouse, when the icon is activated a pop-up menu appears on the screen listing switch options which can be selected by clicking the mouse on a particular option. But this technique in addition to requiring additional mouse movements may additionally require scrolling of the list to view the entire list. Furthermore, the menu obscures part of the screen and the response to a menu selection cannot be seen until the menu is exited.
It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for controlling a display screen with the use of a mouse, which apparatus avoids the disadvantages of prior apparatuses while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
An important feature of the invention is the provision of a mouse-controlled display apparatus wherein X-Y movements of the mouse do not affect cursor position on the screen but, rather, affect some other screen display feature.
In connection with the foregoing feature, a further feature of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of the type set forth, wherein X-Y mouse movements can be used to control the scrolling of a list of switch options displayable in a fixed-position screen icon.
In connection with the foregoing features, another feature of the invention is a provision of an apparatus of the type set forth, wherein the mouse can be used with an icon which represents two switches, with vertical and horizontal mouse movements respectfully controlling different lists of options respectively associated with the two switches.
In connection with the foregoing feature, yet another feature of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of the type set forth, wherein vertical movements of the mouse control selection among different frames of waveform data for display on the screen, while horizontal movements of the mouse control the position of the waveform data on the screen.
Certain features of the invention are attained by providing display control apparatus comprising a display screen, a mouse having an X-Y motion sensor and control buttons, and a processor coupled to the display screen and to the mouse and operable under stored program control for controlling the display screen to display thereon indicia including a cursor associated with the mouse, the processor including means cooperating with the mouse to define first and second operational modes for the mouse wherein in the first mode the processor is responsive to movements of the mouse detected by the X-Y motion sensor for effecting corresponding movements of the cursor on the screen and wherein in the second mode the processor is responsive to movements of the mouse detected by the X-Y motion sensor while the cursor is on another indicium to control the condition of the other indicium without affecting the location on the screen of either the cursor or the other indicium.
The invention consists of certain novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.